Music Monday- Every Lyric Tells a Story Story

Today, for Music Monday, I would like to share some of my favorite story telling songs with you.

I hope some of these videos will stir some memories for you.  Warning, some of these songs are long - but after all, it takes a while to tell a story.

One of my favorite story telling songs of all time - City of New Orleans, written by Steve Goodman.

I so love the lyrics.  By the end of the song, you will mourn the decline of train travel.

And the sons of Pullman porters
and the sons of engineers
ride their fathers' magic carpet made of steam....

Simon and Garfunkel, a folk rock duo from the 1960's and early 1970's, had a hit with a song called Scarborough Fair/Canticle.  The song consists partially of a traditional English ballad (Scarborough Fair) and partially a  anti war song Paul Simon wrote in 1963 and rewrote for this (Canticle).

The intertwining of the two sets of lyrics is remarkable.

Speaking of Simon and Garfunkel, I also love a song called The Boxer, down and out on the streets of New York City. In this live version, they sing an extra verse that wasn't in the original studio version.

I am older than I once was
And younger than I'll be; that's not unusual....

After changes upon changes

We are more or less the same
After changes we are more or less the same

One more story for you, this time, a true story.  I know people who can not stand this song.  But as we are coming up on the 40th (November 10, 1975) anniversary of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald...well, I hope you like the story as much as I do.

Do you have a favorite story-song?